War means sacrifice – perhaps never more so than during WWII. Butter gave way to margarine, steel replaced copper, and women learned how to draw their own stockings, with the help of some artistic skills and some leg makeup, also known as liquid stockings.

With rationing in full force, stockings were simply hard to come by and an alternative was desperately needed, especially during the summer months. The solution wouldn’t come via a replacement fabric, however, but through the magic of paint – well, actually a foundation type makeup that could be rubbed on to cover the legs and create the illusion of a hosed leg. With the careful application of an eyeliner pencil, a straight line could be drawn down the back of the leg to add the desired “seam” and complete the look. Women could once again take to the dance floor, their legs looking as nature artificially intended.

Of course, a night on the dance floor in the summer meant a lot of sweat and heat, and therefore, a lot of smearing. A few hours into the night pretty much destroyed the illusion. But this was a time of war and everyone made due with what they had. A smudged leg was still a preferable alternative to a plain leg any day of the week.